The present invention is directed to a household refrigerator including a freezer compartment containing a quick-chilling chamber and having access to the chamber from outside the freezer compartment. The concept of having a chamber inside a refrigerator wherein articles may be placed for quick-chilling has been known for some time. For instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,659,429-McLean discloses a refrigerator in which a fast-chill space is provided in the upper portion of the refrigerator compartment and by providing an auxiliary fan in communication mainly with the refrigerator space and to a substantially lesser degree with the inlet passage from the freezer, chilled air is introduced into the fast-chill space. The auxiliary fan is energized independently of the cooling means for a time period corresponding to the time typically required to chill the particular articles undergoing chilling. The temperature of the air discharged into the fast-chill space by the auxiliary fan is, however, limited and varies depending upon whether the cooling system is operating or not. For instance, when the cooling system is not operating, the temperature of the air discharged into the fast-chill space is that of the air in the refrigerator space. Other representative prior art patents showing refrigerating apparatus with a quick-chilling feature are U.S. Pat. Nos. Schmoch 2,677,241 and Harbour 3,747,361.
It is advantageous in providing for a quick-chilling compartment in refrigerating apparatus that the items to be chilled quickly are exposed immediately to below-freezing temperatures such as 0.degree. F. to 10.degree. F. so that they are quickly chilled and then when they reach the desired chilled temperature, they are no longer subjected to the below-freezing temperatures but are automatically maintained at a cool but above-freezing temperature. Preferably, this chilling arrangement is accomplished without the need for movable dampers and without significantly changing the desired temperatures in the freezer and fresh-food compartments of the refrigerator. The present invention is directed to a quick-chilling operation and apparatus therefor wherein items in a freezer compartment chamber are quickly chilled when subjected to below-freezing air temperatures and, specifically, the air temperature in the freezer compartment and after the quick-chilling operation, the items are maintained at a cool but above-freezing temperature and ready for use by access through a door to the chamber without the need for opening the main freezer compartment door.